


Fall from Grace

by Vengeful_Dogs_Of_War



Series: Diamond Dogs: The Golden Age [3]
Category: Metal Gear
Genre: F/F, Gen, Moral Grey Areas, Other, Possible Terrorism, Revenge, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 09:23:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11010567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vengeful_Dogs_Of_War/pseuds/Vengeful_Dogs_Of_War
Summary: Quiet's crusade for revenge brings her Phantoms and her to new lows as violence engulfs Europe. Liquid Snake and Sniper Wolf face death at the ruin of Motherbase as the angry former soldiers of Diamond Dogs try and reclaim their home.





	Fall from Grace

**Author's Note:**

> Part 2 or 3, idk why I put this in the series I did, oh well. Broke cannon, but brought in some fan favorites, hopefully the story still is somewhat logical/gripping. Any and all feedback appreciated below. I noticed the spacing was nonexistant on my previous works, hopefully now it won't be just a block of text.

Quiet never enjoyed going to these meets, but her situation demanded it. The meet was in a warehouse in a private dock, owned by a corrupt businessman that ran a smuggling racket. She was currently trying to negotiate a deal to smuggle several squads of Phantoms into Germany. Quiet wanted to strike the US embassy in Berlin, but couldn't risk an aerial insertion unless shit hit the fan in the worst way possible. Two of her men covered the door behind her, and the spokesman for said businessman entered through a side door. He wore a black suit with a blue undershirt and black tie, his face calm and collected, with a scar along the left cheek. He was obviously a professional, which boded well. 

"Greetings. I'm Gregory. Shall we get down to business?" He said, 

Quiet didn't buy for a second that was his real name, but nodded regardless. Her chosen negotiator was a man by the name of Diving Walrus, who currently hid his bearded face behind a balaclava. He stepped up beside her.

"We need a force of 42 men brought into Berlin. Discreetly."  
"I see. My employer certainly can arrange that, what type of men are you bringing in?"  
"Strike team, full tactical gear."  
"Do you have a particular time in mind?"  
"March 5th, before 3:00 am."  
"That will raise the cost. Smuggling armed men is...difficult."  
"We'll pay, 2 million total, 500K up front."  
"That will cover insertion, do you require extraction?"  
"No, we'll do that ourselves."  
"Very well, there is one condition. No discharging firearms within a block of the docks, my employer would hate to draw unwanted attention."

They both shook hands, and Quiet motioned to one of her guards, who brought forward a case containing the deposit. This money was taken from an African druglord they kidnapped and executed, before leaving his body hanging in a public square. His competition had payed premium for his marketshare. The spokesman took the case, inspected the bills, and nodded.

"Salathsar Island, midnight March 3rd."

Their business completed, Quiet and her men exited, before heading for their yacht. Each wore casual attire, with Quiet herself in a bikini, a model for a spoiled heiress to some Middle Eastern oil mogul, enjoying a vacation under the watchful eye of daddy's security detail. They encountered no trouble at all on their way back to Purgatory, which had grown to span the entire island, as the vengeful slowly found their way into Quiet's open arms. Quiet herself retired to her quarters, only to inspect the massive table of maps and reports she had complied. The international intelligence community was currently on the defensive, as they had struck everywhere they could. Undercover operatives in cartels, Embassies, Military training grounds, civilian centers, General's homes, border checkpoints, weapon factories, oil rigs, private jets, The Phantoms struck everywhere they could across Europe and the United States, with over 132 successful attacks completed in the past two years. Tomorrow Quiet would spearhead the assault on the embassy, aiming to assassinate the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, Franklin D. Kramer. 

Quiet wanted to stir up enough trouble to get FOXHOUND directly involved, rather than the few deep cover CIA moles that they had left beheaded in Washington DC. Right now, Sniper Wolf claimed President Seers was hesitant to deploy any more FOXHOUND operatives after Quiet attacked the secret training facility in the mountains of Bolivia, where recruits were screened for FOXHOUND before being subjected to preliminary training. Quiet's phantoms had years of elite combat training and experience under MSF and Diamond Dogs, yet they had suffered nearly 75% casualties, as the FOXHOUND recruits proved to be deadly in every sense of the word. Flaming Buffalo was killed in the assault, as well as several other MSF survivors. The attack had caused another FOXHOUND international incident, which was under heavy investigation after its founder Big Boss was found to have been behind the Outer Heaven incident. Driven underground while Campbell worked to restore the Pentagon's trust in the unit, Quiet was able to strike at the US with greater ambition, killing 5 senators and kidnapping the former FBI director, who was currently being tortured for more information. 

He was the one who provided the information about the assistant secretary's visit to Berlin in order to consult GSG 9 leaders, in an attempt to hamper The Phantom's operations in Europe. Quiet sighed, she would leave for Germany again in two days, until then she had too much paperwork to catch up on. Even running a secretive terrorist organization meant paperwork. 

***

The shipping container was dark, and it held 21 soldiers all huddled on the various crates, cleaning and inspecting equipment using their night-vision optics. Quiet sat in the back, adjusting her hex bodysuit's belt. It was a personal gift from Venom, and it held a sentimental use to have something he gave her protecting her in combat. Quiet had opted for a custom built AM-MRS, designed for close quarters marksmanship, and she currently adjusted the scope to pass the time. The spokesman was as good as his word, and her assault team was currently in the bowels of a cargo ship that arrived once every week with fresh produce for German markets. Passing the German shipping authorities had been easy, as their containers were currently buried under at least 50 tons of fresh strawberries on all sides. There was silence among her men, who was each preparing for combat. Quiet had long ago lost the ability to wonder if she would come back, instead she always imagined him. She could always see him somewhere among the men, in a black sneaking suit smoking those damn cigars, petting D-Dog or cleaning his combat knife. The combat was what she missed most, the thrill of wading through a sea of bullets with him. No matter how many bodies she buried, how ever many soldiers she slaughtered, that same feeling of being alive always eluded her. It helped that Quiet was fighting for his wish, to be remembered, to have his family remembered, that dulled the pain. The soldiers around her helped, each was a fragment of Venom, part of who he was, each a piece of his legacy. They were all phantoms, the scattered ghosts of Venom, but they wouldn't rest until his name was etched into history with the blood of thousands.

The ship docked, and a loading crane dragged their crate to the shore, and in silence the men waited, tense. If it was a trap there was no-where to run, they could only fight to the death. But only the spokesman and several dock workers waited for them outside, and the other container opened to reveal the other strike team. Quiet signaled the advance, and nodded to the workers as they left. The embassy was several blocks away, and the Berlin night-life was in full swing, as people swarmed the streets to visit clubs and other sources of fun. Waiting for them in the dock loading bays were 4 long vans, white and unmarked. 

The trip went fast, as traffic in the early morning was light. The US embassy pulled into view, and they parked in parking lot of the local bar across the street. Her phantoms were passing around spare clips, and pocketing the extra grenades brought by the team's demo experts. 

"Strike 1, this is Eagle. Drone is in position, scanning now." An intel officer said  
"Looks like beefy security. The standard MSG (Marine Security Guard) complement, with the addition of several squads of backup. Total of around 140 heat signatures, unknown how many are active targets."  
"Roger Eagle, this is Strike 2. We love a challenge."

Quiet nodded to her comms officer, and drew a line across her throat. The phantom nodded before returning to his communication headset.  
"This is Strike Actual, positive confirmation, Scorched Earth policy, fire for effect."  
"Copy Strike Actual."

Quiet got the thumbs up from her squad leaders, and gave the order. All 4 vans doors slide open, and the men unloaded into the alleyway behind the bar. A single couple was making out under a neon sign, and a single Phantom dispatched both with a knife before one could scream.

"Snipers moving into position." A phantom reported 

4 phantoms with AM-MRS rifles began to scale the fire exit to the roof of the office building next to the bar, giving them clear line of sight into the embassy grounds. The rest deployed their mobile cardboard box units, until the alleyway looked like someone had dumped a UPS truckload into it. Several passing civilians took photos, but none approached.

"Sniper 1 to Strike Actual, 4 targets sighted outside the gates, permission to engage?"  
Quiet radioed an affirmative grunt to her comm officer, flexing her trigger finger experimentally.  
"Strike Actual to all units, engage Phase 1. Permission to engage."

Muffled sniper fire cracked as the 4 guards dropped, holes punched through their bodies as the high powered rounds cracked the concrete underneath them. Quiet lead the charge, sprinting full speed while cloaked, her rifle slung over her shoulder and pistol in hand. A single guardsman was running towards the checkpoint, screaming into his radio for backup. Before he could reach the emergency lockdown switch, Quiet's kick hit him in the chest hard enough to collapse his lung, before she scanned the yard for threats. When none immediately emerged, she shot the fallen marine. The gate began to close, as a different lock-down switch was pulled, but by then her phantoms were already inside the embassy, while the second Strike team moved to secure the back exits. Muffled sniper fire continued to sound as her snipers fired on anything moving in the windows. Gunfire from inside the embassy responded as the marines returned fire. Quiet motioned for her men to fan out in standard strike formation. 

Three moved towards the location of the generator, so graciously provided by login information of their captured FBI director. Gunfire echoed as they entered the basement. 

"4 hostiles down."

Quiet covered their flank as a phantom placed a shaped charge on the wall in the front of the embassy, as 10 men grappled up the side of the building, leaving her with a force 7 men to complete the ground floor sweep. 

"Charge placed."

Quiet signaled the go ahead, as she took a position in cover several feet away, her phantoms followed suit. The wall imploded as the charge detonated, leaving a hole several feet wide. Several Marines were in cover in the lobby, and they opened fire at Quiet and her phantoms. Quiet popped out of cover and sighted in, time slowing to a crawl as she focused. Two marine's helmets caved in as her Sinful Butterfly's massive rounds struck, crushing the skulls underneath. 

"This is Sniper 1 to Strike Actual, police response inbound, standard blue-shirts. Engaging."  
"Roger Sniper 1, police chatter indicates GSG 9 is already been deployed, watch out."  
"Roger Strike Actual, we'll cover Strike 1."

Sniper fire resumed as the sirens grew closer, and several officers screamed as they died. The power went out seconds later, and the marines inside swore vividly, as the late night sky provided little hints as to were the phantoms moved, sneaking suits blending in effortlessly. 

"Engage Optics." One of her men called as they all slid their googles down, and the world came into view in green and yellow. 

The fighting quickly became one-sided, as the marines never saw her phantoms coming thanks to the mixture of sneaking suit and liberally applied stealth camo. Several civilians tried to run past them, but Quiet shot them in the chest calmly, and posted a guard to the lobby to execute any other stragglers. 

"This is Strike 2, We've got the package, execute or extract?"  
Quiet radioed a quick grunt to her comms officer.  
"This is Strike Actual to Strike 2, execute."  
A faint gunshot over the radio, "Confirmed kill."  
"Roger Strike 2, move inside and sweep the building, GSG 9 incoming to your location."  
"Roger Strike Actual, leaving a present for them."

Quiet ducked back into cover as a marine shot her twice in the chest. Her bodysuit absorbed the rounds, but it knocked the wind out of her and she gasped in pain, before throwing a flashbang down the hallway. Several marines shielded their eyes, giving her Phantoms enough time to move up and execute the three, one using CQC to pin a marine against a desk before slitting his throat. The massacre continued in the dark as the phantoms swept the building in minutes, killing embassy staff, guests, and security indiscriminately. The GSG 9 officers were at the roof with a few of the staff, covering the door with hand-guns, and Quiet gathered her two teams at the base of the stairs leading to the roof. 

"This is Sniper 1, GSG 9 is deploying to the roof, we've taken fire, 1 wounded. Our position is compromised."  
Quiet gave a hand signal to her squad leader.  
"This is Strike 1 to Sniper 1, execute Phase 2."

Quiet's phantoms moved quickly and quietly, placing several mines near the roof entrance, and began placing remote charges across the entire building. Her squad leaders took her to the ambassadors office. It was mostly intact, but the computer was smashed and a trash-can held the ashes of many burnt documents. The object of her interest however, was the picture on the wall, of the ambassador shaking hands with President Seers among a collection of GSG 9 operatives in front of the burning ruin of Outer Heaven. She had never noticed, never thought it was possible. The elusive third LES clone was George Seers, the president. 

Her squad leaders tapped her on the shoulder, it was time to move. A loud bang echoed as GSG 9 breached the building, followed by several explosions from the upper building, accompanied by screams. 

"This is Strike Actual, the GSG 9 helicopter was shot down by Sniper 1, no confirmed kills on the GSG 9 officers."

Quiet nodded, and rejoined her men as they left the lobby, still under the cover of night. The burning wreck of the helicopter was right in front of the embassy, the fire in its chassis a stark contrast to the night around them. Several wounded GSG 9 personal were crawling out of the wreckage, only to find guns at their throats. None begged for mercy, none was given. 

"This is Strike Actual to Strike 1 and 2, evac is 2 minutes out."

That was the hardest two minutes of the operation, as GSG 9 and regular police swarmed the perimeter they set at the bar, killing two phantoms. Quiet's marksmanship was legendary, and 22 German policemen felt its effect. Pequod arrived shortly after, dropping smoke all over the LZ as his Chinook touched down in the street. Quiet and her phantoms moved fast, charging the police barricade after throwing a mixture of stun, smoke, and lethal grenades that left the entire line either dead, wounded, or too fucked up to shoot straight. Her phantoms killed at least 10 more before reaching the helicopter ramp. The sniper team was the last to arrive, carrying the wounded phantom between the three of them. Another Phantom was killed as the chopper gained altitude, his sneaking suit ruptured by multiple shots from GSG 9 soldiers. Quiet pulled the trigger on the remote C4 as Pequod gained altitude, leaving the embassy a crumbling ruin. She had lost 3 men today, but an untold number of embassy staff, police, and GSG 9 had died, and her revenge was another step closer. Quiet turned to inspect her wounded, as her phantoms began to relax ever so slightly.

***

Solidus turned to his cabinet, who sat around the table he received most of his intelligence from. The hard oak was a dominating presence in the room, with three words carved around a bald eagle, reading Veritas. Libertatem. Libertas. Truth. Liberty. Freedom. All words that mocked his current office term, a puppet for those that stood for the exact opposite. His secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfield, was the first to speak. 

"We were hit again."  
"Where?"  
"Berlin."  
"How many?"  
"50 marines, all staff, plus German casualties. The entire building was destroyed, and we have no idea how much classified information they got before it blew."  
"Were any leads uncovered?" He frowned and tapped the table, thinking.  
"Three were killed this time."  
"Who were they?"  
"We don't know."  
"Why?"  
"No known DNA, no ID, no fingerprints, and only the tattoos were identical. A hooded reaper of some sort holding a snake with dripping fangs and a gun in the other hand. Mors est angeli underneath. Death's Angels."  
"Religious zealots?"  
"Unsure. Whatever they are, they are dangerous. It takes a highly skilled group to neutralize an entire Embassy and GSG 9 with minimal losses."  
"Same group that hit FOXHOUND, the FBI, and the Senate?"  
"Certainly, the bodies recovered in Bolivia match the MO. unknown identities and the same tattoo on some."

Solidus gestured, and Rumsfield passed over his report. Idly he skimmed it, frowning as he saw the After Action Report. The embassy was literally a pile of rubble, and the bodies surrounding it were almost all marine. 

"Have the German authorities come up with anything?"  
"No, except the shell casings left behind. AM-MRS likely used by the snipers, UN-ARC by the ground teams."  
"Can we trace the manufacturer?"  
"Not likely, they are sold to a massive amount of paramilitary organizations."  
"We can't let this continue, I'm already seen as weak because of this."  
"We could always deploy FOXHOUND, they have brought in considerable victories over formidable foes before." The secretary of defense suggested  
"They hit FOXHOUND first, crippling its recruit pool and causing an international scandal, its obvious FOXHOUND is a priority target, I won't expose more of its men without actionable intel."  
"It proves they think FOXHOUND is a threat, to attack its weakest recruits with such a brutal assault group."  
"Yet they still killed every single member in that facility. Why not Delta force or the Seals?"  
"Its a possibility, yet they lost 16 men in that attack, vs recruits, with the element of surprise. The problem still becomes we don't know where they are, who they are, or who they work for. We need intel."  
"What about where they get their oil?"  
"Sir?"  
"They use helicopters, which need fuel. Can we trace them via the supplier?"  
"Again, with the amount of paramilitary organizations popping up across the sea, we can't trace anybody via weapon supplier without more intel. Ever since Big Boss started MSF, tracing hired killers has become next to impossible with the over saturation of the market."  
"Of course, Big Boss. It's Big Boss."  
"Big Boss is dead sir, killed at Outer Heaven."  
"I know, but all these paramilitary groups viewed him as their idol, their hero. Many have and are trying to get revenge, perhaps we are dealing with a rouge PMC."  
"That is a possibility, but we still have hundreds of candidates to weed out before we can even begin to suspect one."  
"Hmm. The Outer Heaven survivors, some were with Big Boss from before, right?"  
"Yes, those that survived are currently slotted to under-go genetic experimentation."

Solidus's brow creased, the project was critical, but surely it could spare a few mercenaries.

"Bring every ex-MSF and every ex-Diamond Dog in for interrogation. Spin it as for historical documentation."  
"Yes sir." The Secretary of Defense returned to his seat

Solidus looked around the table, to his cabinet, each was a pawn of the Patriots, placed there to keep him well behaved. He resented them all, yet he could not replace them, not yet. First his masters would have to be defeated, and that would require careful planning, without any possible distractions such as this rogue militant group. Once they were dealt with, Solidus would be free to continue as he planned, and execute the Patriots. But that day was far from here.

"Gentlemen, shall we discuss the next matter?"

***

Quiet walked towards the vigil at Purgatory, where the three phantoms, Frenzied Manatee, Glaring Ferret, and Rabid Mongoose lay in their funeral pyres. Rows of benches sat in front of the pryes in the small field filled with flowers planted by the friends of the fallen. Several soldiers stood over them in vigil, as a sergeant gave them their last rite.

"We stand here today to honor not just our comrades, not just our family, but our brothers, our blood. We are phantoms, at war with a world that no longer views us as human, but as numbers to spend and argue over, expendable pawns in wars for no purpose. For these phantoms, their war for vengeance, justice, is over, but our's continues. Honor the fallen, and remember their sacrifice, for it is their bones on which we tread to victory."

The men turned and saluted the pyres as the flames grew higher, before quietly filing out towards the barracks. Quiet approached, and stood in front of the burning corpses of her men. The smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils, a smell she had come to know well over the course of her crusade. Some soldiers claim that it gets easier, that the fallen's burden grows lighter over time, but for Quiet each of the fallen was a weight on her shoulders, another brother who demanded vengeance upon a world that had forsaken truth in exchange for comfort. The pain grew for each brother and sister she committed to the flames. Once, she remembered Kaz claimed that his pain was a dull ache, a phantom that haunted his dreams and left him with an emptiness inside. 

For Quiet, her pain was an inferno, soaring higher with each pyre she lit, begging and clawing to be let out and burn the world down. Kaz had forsaken his men, his family, when he left Diamond Dogs, he betrayed Venom, Quiet, and every single soldier who ever called him Commander. Quiet wouldn't stop fighting, not like he had. If she did, Venom, Flaming Buffalo, Viper, and every other Phantom that had counted on her to avenge them would be betrayed. 

As with every member of the fallen, Quiet stood vigil until the flames died. Silent, Quiet returned to her quarters, to rest and recover. She had taken up drawing, finding it relaxing and yet a good test of her precision. One of her oldest Lieutenants, Thunder Llama, cut her off. 

"Commander, I've got news."  
"Hm?"  
"Some of the men watching the football game caught the broadcast of President Seer's speech, I had it recorded in the common room for you."  
"Mhm."

Quiet and Thunder Llama changed directions, heading towards one of the many recreational areas aboard Purgatory. Even phantoms couldn't soldier on forever without RnR, so they had plenty of options to relax in between missions. One of these rooms held a few phantoms playing a game of billiards, and a TV adorned the far wall, surrounded by couches. Quiet sat on one next to Llama, and began the playback. 

President Seers stood on a podium in front of the Senate, with his executive staff behind him. His face was vaguely similar to that of Venom and Big Boss, once you knew what to look for. 

"Today, in light of the increasing attacks across the globe against US interests by these terrorists, I am proposing a bill to Congress that will significantly aid in our war against these fringe elements. It will increase the military budget, and will entail significant expansion of our current anti-terrorist forces, including a complete re-structuring of the FOXHOUND unit as well as allowing other groups to form. I fully intend to deploy every asset available to defeat this threat. I assure you that these attacks will be countered with brutal and deadly force."  
"Mr. President, what about our current special units like the Seals, are they unable to meet this threat?"  
"I have full confidence in our existing forces, however these new groups will be organized to more effectively collaborate with the ATLAS anti-terrorism coalition in Europe, as well as being able to engage in more global operations."  
"Mr. President, how do you respond to the allegation made by several paramilitary groups that the Outer Heaven incident was the scrubbing of a US covert operation in order to frame Big Boss?"  
"I've already made it clear, Big Boss was a war hero that went rogue and betrayed his country, attempting to undercut the entire international order."

Quiet turned off the tv, hearing enough. It was obvious President Seers would be deploying FOXHOUND against her soon enough, so she would have to prepare accordingly. Now would be the time to strike, and humiliate the President. Quiet stared at her map, her gaze flicking between the mass of potential targets, and a plan slowly formed. 

***

Sniper Wolf sat on the floor, as one of D-Dog's pups nuzzled against her, sleeping soundly. She idly spun a combat knife across her fingers, bored. Liquid was late, as usual. Perhaps he had decided to prove his superior genes to yet another recruit who ran his mouth, or had food poisoning again. Sniper Wolf had never trusted the slop served in the mess, yet Liquid ate that crap every other day. This marine base was practically falling apart, which wasn't entirely surprising. The old complex had been failing for years before Sniper Wolf had suggested that the military re-claim Motherbase. A small part of her was happy to be home, another sad to see a place of such fond memories so dilapidated. 

There were no mercenaries bantering, skeet shooting, gambling, practices together. The RnD platform no longer was filled with the craziest sons of bitches she had ever seen, making countless devices that bordered from illegal to depraved.The memories of the prototype "Scooby" mechanized dogs still haunted her. 

"Perfect for solving mysteries. Who did Big Boss miss? Where are they hiding? Were there any survivors? They'll answer each with lethal efficiency."

Luckily Ocelot shut the project down before they reached the testing phase, claiming that it was a waste of resources. The intel platform was no longer a swirling stack of papers, coffee, and maps. The medical platforms were no longer a hub of recovering combat staff flirting with the nurses. Everything was the same, as marines continued to renovate and repair each strut. Sniper Wolf had claimed Quiet's old quarters, perhaps as a way of paying tribute to her former mentor. 

If Liquid wasn't going to show up and demand they practice another combat drill, Sniper Wolf was going to have a trip down memory lane, his stomach be damned. The RnD platform was a short walk away, and there several teams of marines were still sorting through the main platform's storage rooms, where crates were stacked at least a dozen feet high. A few marines were gathered around a recently opened crate.

"What's in this one?"  
"Looks like more grenades. I'll leave it to command to figure out wether or not they are lethal."  
"Yeah."

Sniper Wolf passed them by, idly tracing her finger along several crates, before heading to deck 2, where they had developed her first rifle when she was 11. On the bridge she noticed something odd, there was heavy fog coming in fast from the east. She didn't remember any strange weather being mentioned in the daily base news. Chalking it up to another fuck up at HQ, she kept walking. If Liquid wasn't pissed now, he would be. He had always hated fog, claiming it brought back bad memories, of what, she didn't know. 

What stopped her dead in her tracks was a muffled scream coming from further up ahead, on the next deck. Sniper Wolf grabbed her pistol, and moved forward at a fast crouch, careful to watch for movement in the fog. The entire platform seemed to hide figures in each corner, perhaps specters of the Diamond Dogs that used to man their posts their daily. Sniper Wolf shook her head to stay focused, and walked to the end of the bridge. There was the first body, a marine with a knife embedded in his throat, his gun's safety still engaged. Sniper Wolf grabbed her radio, while yanking the knife out of his throat.

"Enemy Contact, RnD platform, deck 2. Confirmed casualties."

There was nothing on the other end, just static where an operator should have responded. Swearing softly, Sniper Wolf knew that HQ was already being hit, and that shit just got alot worse without a structured command to organize a defense. Another muffled scream sounded to her right, behind a stack of old shipping containers. Sniper Wolf jumped up to the top of the stack, and scanned the ground below her. Two marines were dead, bullet holes in the chest and head, this time there was a radio on the floor. Sniper Wolf hadn't been alone in calling for backup. 

Gunfire sounded up ahead, as an M16 shot rang out. Suppressed gunfire followed, and silence reigned again. Sniper Wolf swore, wishing she had brought her night vision googles so she could see, and snipe, through this fog. As she slowly advanced through the platform more bodies came into view, all marine. As she bent to grab one marine's tags, a gunshot sounded in her ears, and pain exploded in her left arm as the bullet grazed it. Sniper Wolf swore, rolling into cover before peeking out enough to try and spot her attacker, only to find nothing but fog and swirling shapes in the distance. 

By now gunfire was coming from all over Motherbase, and marines were now alerted, returning fire on their attackers. Sniper Wolf was suddenly tackled to the ground as a figure seemed to emerge from the mist like a ghost, and her eyes widened as she recognized the suit the attacker wore. She had seen Saladin wear it on a few test runs back at Diamond Dogs years ago, the skull suit's pale armor now staring her down as its wearer tried to bring his knife down into her chest. Sniper Wolf brought her knee up into his groin, not surprised to find it had no effect, Diamond Dogs often had to endure the wound during training as to not be stunned in real combat. 

Switching tactics, Sniper Wolf headbutted the attacker, before grabbing her boot knife and slamming it into his side with her free arm, using the distraction to roll him off her. The added space and time let her draw her pistol and put three rounds into his head. Everything made sense now, the attacks, the skill, the disappearance of Quiet. Another round struck the pillar next to her, and Sniper Wolf rolled into cover again. With one of the suits generating the mist out of commission, the fog on the platform faded, leaving enough visibility for Sniper Wolf to draw and use her sniper-rifle. These Diamond Dogs were skilled, and stayed in cover, using smoke grenades and covering fire to move closer to her position, but Sniper Wolf was better. Quiet had used similar tactics in training, and so two fell to chest shots as they moved, and another took a shot to the foot. Sniper Wolf was forced back when another Diamond Dog got in close, his knife skills quickly landing several cuts before Wolf was able to disarm him. He kicked her in the chest hard enough to send her staggering, and rolled into cover as a bullet hit near her head again. 

She couldn't keep it up forever, they would eventually get her if she stayed on the platform without backup, while FOXHOUND, she wasn't a match for an entire squad of Saladin trained commandos alone. Liquid on the other hand... he would probably be having fun. Sniper Wolf had last seen him at the medical platform, a decent distance to cover of war-zone. Sniper Wolf shot one in the leg, before grabbing him as he staggered and using the poor dog as a human shield.

"Follow me, Diamond Dogs, and he dies." 

There was a visible pause as she mentioned the name of Saladin's former army, and a few tilted their heads as if really looking at her. Her captive tried reaching for the knife on her belt, but Sniper Wolf pressed the gun to his chin, and he stilled. Either she got lazy or he grew balls, but once they crossed the bridge, he slammed a boot into her shin with enough force to knock her off balance, and the Diamond Dog flipped Sniper Wolf over his shoulder before delivering a gut punch hard enough to wind her. Gasping, Wolf spun and kicked his legs out from under him, before slamming her foot into his head once it came level with her on the ground. The soldier grunted and was dazed enough for Sniper Wolf to grab her pistol and execute him. Gunfire sounded from behind her, and she rolled behind cover, crouch sprinting as bullets soared over her head. Dead marines littered each deck, with the very, very rare Diamond Dog corpse. This was their home, and they were hunting. 

Sniper Wolf wasn't used to close quarters warfare against an enemy so formidable, and spent most the time either snagging wounding shots or firing to keep them in cover as she moved position. Liquid was a different matter, the only other FOXHOUND member on site, he was thrilled at having a challenge, and at least 7 dead Diamond Dogs littered the medical platform when Sniper Wolf arrived. Liquid was currently engaged in a CQC duel with one of the attackers, who wore a skull suit, and was using it to full effect. The additional armor encased around the suit from the armored skull units Venom faced gave the man a fighting chance, as Liquid couldn't effectively penetrate the armor, whereas the Diamond Dog struck with enough force to dent metal. The Diamond Dog kicked Liquid in the chest, sending him crashing through the railing over Quiet's sunroof. 

Sniper Wolf put an entire sniper clip into his chest, but the man only staggered. He grabbed a grenade launcher from one of his fallen comrades and fired. Sniper Wolf rolled but still caught the tail end of the explosion, sending her flying several feet and knocking her rifle out of her hand. Liquid rejoined the fight, slamming into the Diamond Dog with the force of a tidal wave, his skill and brute force sending the Diamond Dog reeling as Liquid drove him closer to the edge, before punching him off the railing and into the ocean below, when the rock encased suit sank, dooming its wearer. 

"Pathetic. If father's home was going to be defended, I'd hoped it was going to be a challenge." Liquid said, spitting over the railing.

Despite his tough talk, Liquid was wounded, with multiple cuts all over his body, and several gunshot wounds across his arms and legs. Sniper Wolf cut off part of his trench coat to use as a bandage, working quickly as the gunfire around them slowly faded, the last marines hunted down and executed. 

"We need to leave."  
"And let them win? They can't stand against me, I'll kill all of them myself."  
"8 of them managed to wound you, imagine the rest. You'd probably win, but its too risky."  
"Fine. I'll not waste my time fighting for Father's scrapyard. This pathetic heap isn't worth anything anyway. This entire place was a waste of time."  
"Not entirely. I know who we are dealing with."  
"Some of father's former soldiers, right?"  
"How did you know?"  
"We only found this place because you, and I, both spent years here as children. It stands to reason only his men would know its location."  
"You were at Motherbase? You met Saladin personally?"  
"Yes, I met Saladin, and observed his men for a time. I escaped with his metal gear once father made it clear he wasn't going to visit me personally, and I had had enough of being his toy soldier."  
"Wasn't Saladin your father? His DNA was used for LES, right?"  
"Hah, no. Saladin was just another failed attempt to re-create the legend. Perhaps the most convincing copy, he was a formidable soldier, and looked almost exactly like him. But my father would've outclassed him in every way, and I would have outclassed my father if my wretched brother hadn't beaten me to it."  
"So...Saladin, is alive?"  
"Possibly. It makes sense that he would be behind these attacks, they bear the mark of a seasoned and cunning warrior. Campbell would be interested in this news."  
"So we make for the helipad?"  
"No. Now we take the offensive. This men need to be taught what the real legend could do, and I can't wait to show them."

Sniper Wolf nodded, resigned to it. It still hurt somewhat to kill Diamond Dogs, but they had chosen their side when they attacked her. The fighting was slow, and Liquid was forced to face a real threat for once. The Diamond Dogs used a wide arsenal, some pinning them in cover with assault rifles, while a few kept Liquid at distance with automatic shotguns. Sniper Wolf dueled with several snipers across the platform, downing two with headshots before having to move positions. A few heavies kept Liquid moving, firing grenades whenever he took cover to flush him out. 

The advanced tactics kept Liquid from fully engaging offensively, yet he still fired with skill, killing any who left themselves out of cover for too long. Sniper Wolf dropped one heavy with a headshot before he could fire, letting Liquid move up and CQC a Diamond Dog. Liquid took his shotgun, before using it to execute him and three more of his comrades. Another Diamond Dog charged, using a combat knife to strike at Liquid.

Liquid, caught reloading was cut three times before disarming the soldier and smashing his head on a railing hard enough to crack his skull open. One Diamond Dog was talking into an idroid, something Sniper Wolf recognized as similar to the one she was given by Saladin. 

"Confirmed, alpha target is here, requesting backup. Taking heavy casualties, need backup. Sn..." Sniper Wolf's bullet caught him in the throat, and the man died before he could finish. 

The Diamond Dogs had lost at least two dozen men, and were in full retreat. Liquid and Sniper Wolf followed in pursuit, chasing the survivors all the way to the command deck, where a bullet struck Liquid in the shoulder with enough force to knock him off balance. He dove into cover as another round struck the deck where his head had been seconds before. Sniper Wolf ducked as a bullet struck near where her head had been. Her blood froze as she heard humming from the 1st deck. She stuck her head out of cover long enough to confirm what she feared, Quiet was perched on the helipad, her hex bodysuit blending into the night sky. Liquid had finished bandaging his bullet wound, and was now angrier than ever. 

"Careful! She's dangerous." Sniper Wolf called  
"I know, Diamond Dog's whore. I remember her from before."

Sniper Wolf reloaded and grimaced, things just went from difficult to insane. Quiet's men were slowly taking cover all over the platform, waiting for one to pop out of cover. Sniper Wolf sighed, and quickly popped out of cover to shoot a Diamond Dog as he moved cover, before ducking underneath Quiet's shot. It was going to be a long night. 

***

Quiet had been pleasantly surprised to find that one of Big Boss's bastard clones was on Motherbase, and counted her blessings she had decided to spear-head this assault. The unpleasant surprise came from finding out her former apprentice Sniper Wolf, was also here, and showing her phantoms exactly what she had learned. Now she was perched on the helipad, waiting for either Liquid or Sniper Wolf to make their move. Currently there was only bridge to cross, and it was barren. Quiet's favorite type of kill-box, but it worked both ways. Sniper Wolf had killed two of her men as they tried to drive Liquid out of cover, her rifle tearing through their sneaking suits. Several of her heavies, wearing battle dress, fared better. Liquid fired from cover, wounding a phantom as he popped up to take a shot at Sniper Wolf. 

Quiet sighted in, her elevated position giving her the slightest shot at Liquid's other shoulder as he crouched in cover. She took the shot, and was rewarded as the force knocked Liquid out of cover, and he grunted in pain. She had him, his head was exposed, and her finger squeezed the trigger. Sniper Wolf's round slammed into her chest, knocking her rifle off target, the bullet striking the deck as she was knocked over. Her body armor had stopped the bullet, but it had left her winded and she gasped in pain. Quiet sprinted and leaped, landing on the bottom of the command deck, before sprinting towards Liquid's cover, dematerializing every second to make sure Sniper Wolf couldn't land a shot. Liquid wasn't there as Quiet rounded his corner, only a copious amount of blood. Sniper Wolf wasn't to be found either. Quiet would have cursed if she could have. She motioned for her men to spread out in a search pattern, while Quiet drew her pistol. She headed downstairs with two phantoms behind her. 

The door to the inner deck was forced open, bullet holes in the lock. A trail of blood led through that door, and Quiet motioned to one of her men, who broke off to signal for backup. Quiet took point as they entered, the corridors dark and littered with overturned clutter and dead marine corpses. As she rounded a corner into the staff break room, Liquid hit her, grabbing her into a chokehold, his strong arms almost instantly breaking her neck. Quiet dematerialized the second before he broke her neck, before turning and kicking him in the stomach, her leg having the force to crash him into the wall. She put two bullets into his chest before he was on her again, more cautious this time. 

Quiet's reflexes gave her a fighting chance, as she ducked and dodged some of his strikes, and dematerialized to avoid others. Liquid still managed to block most of her attacks, and still landed some of his own, each felt like a slab of hot iron had struck her. Quiet wasn't as inexperienced as she had been during their match all those years ago, thanks to Venom. If she had known who the little shit known as the white mamba was, she wouldn't have stopped with both arms broken. But Liquid had grown as well, his skill rivaled Venom's, and his strength far exceeded Venom's. She dodged a jab at the throat, before jumping and locking both legs around Liquid's throat, using her momentum to bring him to the floor, her legs cutting off his air supply as she squeezed, hard. His eyes bulged, but he grabbed one of her arms, and used it as leverage to slowly get up, and Quiet squeezed harder. Liquid refused to pass out, instead completely gaining his footing, and slamming Quiet to the floor with his entire body, causing her to see stars and relax her grip. 

"Stupid whore. I would have killed you years ago, but you were always close to him, and his cock."

Liquid didn't even stop to catch his breath, he just drove his knee into her chest, and Quiet tried to double up in pain, but he grabbed her head and slammed his fist into it, driving her back to the ground. He tried to punch her throat next, but Quiet was ready. Her legs wrapped around his arm, and her arms grabbed and stopped his fist. She used her leverage on his arm to roll and force him on his back. Before Liquid could yank his arm out, Quiet moved her legs, one placed over his throat, crushing it in the gap at her knee, the other pinning his other arm down with her foot. He struggled, his arm raising her foot up, but Quiet had the time she needed to twist and break Liquid's arm.  
"You bitch! I'll make you pay for that." He grunted as Quiet's leg continued to restrict his airflow

Liquid's leg caught her in the temple, and Quiet blacked out for a second. When she came to, Liquid had her pinned against a wall, his hands wrapped around her throat. Quiet could have laughed, but instead she just tried to kick his groin. Liquid moved back, and drove a fist into her stomach, before throwing her against the cabinet across the room. She gave an audible gasp of pain as the wood caved in with the force of the impact. As she struggled to rise to her knees, Liquid kicked her in the face, sending her rolling onto her back, where he grabbed her arms, using them to throw her against the opposite wall, and Quiet's vision blurred as her head struck the metal.

"Pathetic. I see my father's pet kept you around for your other talents. Unfortunately for you, you are too beneath me for me to spare you for the same reason."

Quiet's hand clenched into a fist, and she rose at a drunken pace, before feigning a punch to Liquid's face, which he moved to block. Quiet swept a foot out from under him, and as he tried to regain his balance she did a forward jump kick to his shoulder, where the bullet had struck. Liquid spun with the force of the blow, and steadied himself against an overturned table in the corner of the room, before Quiet's fist struck his nose, and he instinctively rose his hand to his face, the broken arm trying and failing. Quiet struck with speed, her fists a blur as she hit every cut and every bullet hole as many times as she could, Liquid letting out an audible scream of pain for a moment before cutting it off. Quiet ducked under his return punch, only to find a knee driven up into her throat, and she staggered to the side. Liquid kick caught her in the chest, sending her staggering backwards. Quiet tried to strike his nose again, but he grabbed the arm and forced it down over his shoulder at an unnatural angle, breaking it. Quiet tried to spin kick his shoulder, but he grabbed the leg in mid-air, his massive strength allowing him to pick her up and slam her into the table , its edge catching her stomach as she crashed through it. Quiet tried to rise, but failed. He rolled her over and brought his knee into her chin as he crouched on her chest. Quiet tasted blood in her mouth.

"You have some degree of skill, perhaps one day you could pose a threat to an actual dog. Still, I do see the appeal, not being able to scream or beg for my father's copy to stop. I wonder, did he train you to be mute, or did he remove your tongue?" Liquid said, gloating in his victory.

Quiet tried to reach for her belt knife, glaring at him as he removed her balaclava. Liquid's good hand squeezed her cheeks, forcing her mouth open.

"I see. Perhaps he wanted you to use your tongue for its other, more appealing capacity. I'll have to content myself with trying to make you break that silence, so that I can hear that ugly voice of yours beg for me to stop. Don't worry, its nothing personal, just that I never forgot that duel we had here so many years ago. I do have my father's legacy to uphold, don't I?"

Quiet's hand brushed her knife, and she drove it upwards, into his shoulder. Liquid's eyes became enraged, and he drove a fist into her face, before grabbing her arm and twisting it to a incredibly painful angle. Quiet struggled weakly, but he kept her pinned with his knee, pressing it into her chest. Suddenly however, he began to sway, and toppled over, letting her arm go with a sigh. 

Quiet moved to a sitting position, and curiously examining Liquid's unconscious body. It appeared she had re-opened enough bullet wounds and cuts that he had passed out from blood loss, to enraged to notice how faint headed he felt. Quiet removed her knife from his shoulder, and rolled Liquid over, exposing his throat. Quiet placed the knife against his throat, the steel edge opening a small cut, a trickle running down his throat. 

"Stop." Sniper Wolf said from the doorway  
"Hugh?"  
"He's my comrade, I won't let you kill him. Back away and drop the knife."  
"Hm."  
"You were my comrade, and I still am thankful for that, but you taught me loyalty. I'm loyal to Liquid now, Saladin is dead."

Quiet sighed, and began to back away slowly, sad that her former apprentice and friend would betray her like this. Some part of her knew that she would face her former apprentice in battle, although she had hoped it wouldn't come to pass. Their bond was strong, but their determination was even stronger. 

"On your knees, hands behind your back."  
"Ngh."  
"It's either prison or execution Quiet. Please, don't make me do this. I've lost Saladin, don't make me lose you too."

Their eyes lock, both sad, both knowing what each was about to do. Quiet's boot knife drove Sniper Wolf's hand into the wall just as her pistol shot slammed into Quiet's shoulder, passing through the gap in the armor plates underneath the bodysuit. Quiet's hand reached her shoulder just as Sniper Wolf's yanked the knife out and throws. Quiet managed to duck, but Sniper Wolf grabs her waist, using basic CQC to throw Quiet over her shoulder, bringing her foot down towards Quiet's head. Quiet rolled, before kicking Sniper Wolf's feet out from under her. Sniper Wolf struck the ground hard, and Quiet climbed on top of her, her hands gripping Sniper Wolf's throat, trying to end the fight quickly. Sniper Wolf's eyes widened slightly as she started to choke, but she reacted quickly. She arched her back and put her legs through the gap by Quiet's armpits, using her entire lower body's strength, forcing Quiet's body backwards, as she struggled to get Sniper Wolf's legs off her. Sniper Wolf didn't give her the chance, slamming her down with her legs, before regaining her balance, using her legs to pin Quiet's arms down, her entire body weight resting on Quiet's throat. 

"I'm sorry Quiet. I truly am, for what was, what I do now, and what could never be." Sniper Wolf said, bringing her face down to within inches of Quiet's, before driving her combat knife into Quiet's side. 

Quiet's vision went red briefly, and pain went through her whole body as she withered in pain. Sniper Wolf's eyes were sad as she drove the knife again into Quiet's other side, a single tear rolling down her face. The pain became too great, and Quiet began to spasm, and she cried out either from pain or the fact that she had failed. Sniper Wolf brought her lips to Quiet, and her eyes went wide in shock, either from blood loss or from the kiss. The kiss was warm and filled with sorrow as Quiet's body went cold and the blackness took her. 

***

Quiet woke up on a small cot in a white room, confused and panting. A single white table was in the center of the room, a chair on either side, and a small meal and drink placed on it. Where was she? She had been on Motherbase, but what had she been doing? Drilling with Venom? No, she had been fighting...Liquid! She had almost been killed, till he passed out from blood loss, as luck would have it. Had she killed him? She had wanted too, but Sniper Wolf had stopped her, and they fought. Quiet had lost, and...

She brought her hand to her side, where a scar traced along her side where the blade had entered, stitches closing the wound. Dully Quiet realized she wasn't clothed in anything but a bikini, someone knew about her condition. She got up, and tried to dematerialize through the wall, but couldn't. She kept trying, before finally giving up in frustration, and drank from the water glass provided. The food was simple, strips of chicken and a peach, no utensils provided. Quiet eyed the food disdainfully, before finishing her water. 

There must have been a hidden camera somewhere in the room, because soon the door opened, and three armed marines entered, each pointing their rifles at Quiet.

"Down! Get in the chair!" One screamed at her

Quiet sighed and sat down, and a marine chained her arms and legs to the floor, before making sure the chains were taunt. Quiet could barely move her arms, and a quick test confirmed she couldn't dematerialize through these either. She would have to figure out how they stifled her abilities later, as a man in a suit entered the room, his face coming into view as he drew closer. President Seers sat down at the chair next to her, and placed his interlaced arms on the table. He leaned in, and Quiet noticed how much similar he looked to Venom, to Big Boss than she noticed before.

"You've caused me quite a fair amount of trouble, Quiet." President Seers said, a small grin on his face, one that promised nothing good.

**Author's Note:**

> Well I tried to realistically portray a fight to the death between several charcters that never really fought each other. If you think it wouldn't have gone down like that, let me know, and sorry, I'm not a professional at fictional fights. As always, feedback welcome and appreciated. Good, smooth, combat or a confusing mess? Love to hear everyone's thoughts. Next part in the works.


End file.
